Apple Watch SE 2022 : Full Scientific Review

Summary

In this comprehensive review, Rob, a postdoctoral scientist, evaluates the 2022 Apple Watch SE's health and sports tracking capabilities against its higher-end counterparts. Despite lacking a temperature sensor and SpO2 monitoring, the SE performs remarkably well in heart rate tracking, sleep stage detection, GPS tracking, and step counting, often matching or closely aligning with the more expensive Apple Watch Series 8. The video provides detailed analysis and comparisons, suggesting that for many, the SE offers excellent value without significant performance drawbacks.

Takeaways

• 📌 The Apple Watch SE (2022) offers great value for money compared to the more expensive Apple Watch Series 8.
• 🏃‍♂️ In terms of health and sports tracking, the SE does not significantly underperform compared to the Series 8, especially in heart rate tracking accuracy.
• 📊 The SE's heart rate tracking was tested against a Polar H10 chest strap and showed a high correlation with a near-perfect r value of 1.00.
• 🚴‍♂️ During various activities like indoor spinning, outdoor walking, and cycling, the SE demonstrated reliable heart rate tracking with minor deviations.
• 💤 The new sleep stage tracking algorithm on the SE shows promise, with good agreement (97% for deep sleep) when compared to an EEG device.
• 🌡️ The SE lacks the new temperature sensor and the ability to measure oxygen saturation like the Series 8, which may not be crucial for most users.
• 📍 GPS tracking on the SE is consistent and accurate, with quick signal acquisition and minimal deviation during tested routes.
• 🚶‍♂️ Step counting accuracy on the SE is reliable, with close counts to the actual steps taken and minimal false counts during non-walking activities.
• 🏋️‍♂️ During weightlifting, the SE counted some steps, which was unexpected, but overall step counting performance was still good.
• 🔢 The SE's performance in various health tracking features is comparable to other Apple Watch models, including the Series 6, 7, and 8.
• 💬 The reviewer, Rob, a postdoctoral scientist specializing in biological data analysis, provides an independent assessment of the watch's capabilities.

Q & A

Why might the 2022 Apple Watch SE be the first choice for the reviewer despite the release of the Apple Watch 8 and Ultra?

The reviewer considers the Apple Watch SE as their first choice due to its competitive price compared to the Apple Watch 8 and Ultra, and because it does not significantly underperform in health and sports tracking features.

What are the major differences between the Apple Watch SE and the Apple Watch 8 in terms of health tracking?

The Apple Watch SE lacks the new temperature sensor introduced with the series 8 and uses an older generation optical sensor that measures heart rate but not oxygen saturation, unlike the Watch 8.

How did the reviewer test the heart rate tracking accuracy of the 2022 Apple Watch SE?

The reviewer tested the heart rate tracking accuracy of the 2022 Apple Watch SE during 15 training sessions and compared the measurements against a Polar H10 ECG chest strap, which is known for its accuracy.

What was the correlation value between the Apple Watch SE and the Polar H10 chest strap during indoor cycling?

The correlation value between the Apple Watch SE and the Polar H10 chest strap during indoor cycling was rounded to 1.00, indicating a near-perfect agreement.

How does the Apple Watch SE perform in heart rate tracking during outdoor activities like walking and cycling?

The Apple Watch SE shows good agreement with the reference device during walking and cycling, with minor deviations in heart rate readings during outdoor cycling, especially at higher heart rate ranges.

How does the Apple Watch SE handle one of the most difficult exercises for heart rate tracking, weightlifting?

The Apple Watch SE performs quite well during weightlifting, with a correlation of 0.98, closely following the heart rate peaks recorded by the ECG chest strap, though it sometimes misses values at the very peak of heart rate.

What is the reviewer's rating for the heart rate tracking of the 2022 Apple Watch SE based on the initial testing?

The reviewer gives the heart rate tracking of the 2022 Apple Watch SE a 5 out of 5 stars rating, indicating that it does not significantly underperform compared to the series 8 Apple Watch.

How did the Apple Watch SE perform in sleep stage tracking when compared to an EEG device called The Dream 2?

The Apple Watch SE showed a good agreement with The Dream 2 EEG device, accurately detecting deep sleep, light sleep, and REM sleep stages with high percentages.

What is the reviewer's rating for the sleep stage tracking of the 2022 Apple Watch SE?

The reviewer gives the sleep stage tracking of the 2022 Apple Watch SE a 5 out of 5 stars rating, as it performed as well as the Apple Watch series 7 and did not seem to underperform compared to other Apple watches.

How did the reviewer test the GPS tracking of the Apple Watch SE?

The reviewer tested the GPS tracking of the Apple Watch SE by cycling to and from work six times, checking how long it took for the watch to get a GPS signal and how well the GPS signals overlapped when cycling the same route multiple times.

What was the reviewer's assessment of the Apple Watch SE's GPS tracking performance?

The reviewer found the GPS tracking performance of the Apple Watch SE to be consistent and accurate, acquiring signals instantly and overlapping well when cycling the same route multiple times.

How did the reviewer test the step counting accuracy of the Apple Watch SE?

The reviewer manually counted exactly 8,000 steps using a telecounter while wearing the Apple Watch SE to test its step counting accuracy during walking and other activities like weight lifting, spinning, and biking.

What is the reviewer's rating for the step counting accuracy of the 2022 Apple Watch SE?

The reviewer gives the step counting accuracy of the 2022 Apple Watch SE a rating between four and four and a half out of 5 stars, indicating that it performed quite well, especially during walking and other activities.

What is the overall rating given by the reviewer for the 2022 Apple Watch SE, and what factors contributed to this rating?

The reviewer gives the 2022 Apple Watch SE an overall rating of four and a half out of 5 stars, based on its great heart rate tracking, sleep tracking, GPS tracking, and good step counting accuracy, despite lacking some features of the more expensive Apple Watch series 8.